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UPSC Mains 2022 GS-III Paper Questions & Analysis

19th September, 2022 Mains

UPSC MAINS 2022 GS-III PAPER ANALYSIS AND PAST YEAR TRENDS

UPSC conducted the General Studies Paper 3, as part of the Civil Services Main Exam 2021 on 18-09-2022.

  • There were 20 questions printed in both English and Hindi. 
  • 10 questions were of 10 marks each, while the remaining 10 questions were of 15 marks each.
  • Total Marks: 250 marks, Time duration: 3 hours.
  • All questions were compulsory.
  • The number of marks carried by a question/part was printed against it.
  • Answers had to be written in the medium authorized in the admission certificate which had to be stated clearly on the cover of this question-cum-answer (QCA) booklet in the space provided.
  • Answers to questions no. 1 to 10 were to be in 150 words, whereas answers to questions no. 11 to 20 were to be in 250 words.
  • Any page or portion of the page left blank, had to be struck off clearly.

QUESTIONS:

Qn1.Why is Public Private Partnership (PPP) required in Infrastructural projects? Examine the role of PPP model in the redevelopment of Railway Stations in India. (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn2. Is inclusive growth possible under market economy? State the significance of financial inclusion in achieving economic growth in India. (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn3. What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System (PDS) in India? How can it be made effective and transparent? (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn4. Elaborate the scope and significance of the food processing industry in India. (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn5. The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them? (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn6. Each year a large amount of plant material, cellulose is deposited on the surface of Planet Earth. What are the natural process this cellulose undergoes before yielding carbon dioxide, water and other end products? (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn7. Discuss in detail the photochemical smog emphasising its formation, effects and mitigation. Explain the 1999 Gothenburg Protocol. (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn8. Explain the mechanism and occurrence of cloudburst in the context of Indian subcontinent. Discuss two recent examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn9. Discuss the types of organised crime. Describe the linkages between terrorists and organised crime that exist at the national and transnational levels. (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn10. What are the maritime security challenges in India? Discuss the organisational, technical and procedural initiatives taken to improve the maritime security. (Answer in 150 words) 10 mark

Qn11. “Economic growth in the recent past has been led by increase in labour productivity”.Explain this statement. Suggest the growth pattern that will lead to creation of more jobs without compromising labour productivity. (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

Qn12. Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective? Explain. (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

Qn13. What are the main bottlenecks in upstream and downstream process of marketing of agricultural products in India? (Answer in 250 words) 15mark

Qn14. What is Integrated Farming System? How is it helpful to small and marginal farmers in India? (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

Qn15. Launched on 25th December, 2021, James Webb Space Telescope has been much news since then. What are its unique features which make it superior to its predecessor Space Telescopes? What are the key goals of this mission? What potential benefits does it hold for the human race? (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

Qn16. What is the basic principle behind vaccine development? How do vaccines work? What approaches were adopted by the Indian vaccine manufacturers to produce COVID-19 vaccines? (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

Qn17. Discuss global warming and mention its effects on global climate. Explain the control measures to bring down the level of greenhouse gases which cause global warming, in the light of Kyoto Protocol, 1997. (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

Qn18. Explain the causes and effects of coastal erosion in India. What are the available coastal management techniques for combating the hazard? (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

Qn19. What are the different elements of cyber security? Keeping in view the challenges in cyber security examine the extent to which India has successfully developed a comprehensive National Cyber Security Strategy. (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

Qn20. Naxalism is a social, economic and developmental issue manifesting violent internal security threat. In this context, discuss the emerging issues and suggest a multilayered strategy to tackle the menace of Naxalism (Answer in 250 words) 15 mark

ANALYSIS OF 2022 PAPER:

YEAR

ECONOMICS

AGRICULTURE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

SECURITY

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

2022

5

4

3

2

4

2

  • Overall, the paper can be rated as of easy level.
  • Questions were a mix of conceptual and analytical questions.
  • Most of the questions had linkage to current affairs. The paper was largely focused on current affairs of last ten years. 
  • In the economics section, static portions were covered with questions asked from PPP, inclusive growth, agriculture etc. 
  • Environment section was of moderate level with questions being asked on cellulose, Photochemical Fog, Gothenburg protocol.
  • This year there was less focus on science and technology section. 
  • There were more questions from the Internal Security section. Themes from previous year paper like terrorism, internal threats, cyber-security, maritime security were repeated this year as well. 

The major topics in the IAS Mains General Studies paper 3 are:

  • Economic Development
  • Agriculture
  • Science & Technology
  • Environment & Ecology
  • Security, and
  • Disaster Management

ANALYSIS OF PREVIOUS YEAR PAPERS:

YEAR

ECONOMICS

AGRICULTURE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

SECURITY

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

2013

6

6

4

2

5

2

2014

7

2

3

2

5

1

2015

6

2

6

1

4

1

2016

6

3

3

3

4

1

2017

6

4

2

2

5

1

2018

5

4

3

4

3

1

2019

4

4

4

2

4

2

2020

4

4

4

3

4

1

2021

4

4

2

3

5

2

What ultimately matters in this exam would be the quick comprehension of each question and proper answer writing skills.

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